Holding Out for Him
by DatelessDreamer
Summary: Kim was a dreamer, always had been. The dream had always been the same: the boy, everlasting love, a beautiful life together. Reality isn't kind to dreamers. This story would be the exception.
1. Of Sharpies and Diapers

A/N: Okay, so my timing is a bit off. I have Quil imprinted before Jared, but it doesn't really affect the main plot of the story, so carry on!

Chapter 1: Blue Sharpie and Blues Clues

"Kim. Kim! KIM!" I awoke from my reverie to the flustered face of my boss looming in front of me. I looked up at his wobbly hanging cheeks and triple chin flushed red in anger.

"Explain this!" he spat, pointing to the counter of the cashier I was currently working. I looked down. Bright blue hearts adorned with 'K+J' were strewn all across the counter I was working. In my handwriting. And permanent ink. I sighed. I'd done it again.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Peterson. I'll have it cleaned up right away. I wasn't paying attention." I ducked under the counter to withdraw the turpentine as he proceeded with his usual tirade.

"Damn straight, girl. I ought to fire you for this. You're lucky I'm giving you a second chance. I've half a mind to go up to whoever this boy is and humiliating you so you get the punishment you deserve…" He ended mumbling and walking back to his station in the back of the store hiding from perplexed and inquiring customers.

I retrieved my cloth and scrubbed half-heartedly at the already smearing marks. How embarrassing. To be scribbling all over my notebooks in class in erasable pencil was normal, I supposed. Just another part of the hormonal teenage girl thing. But this? This? This bright blue sharpie desperate vandalism all over my workstation? This was far too much.

Why couldn't he just look at me? Just once? Why couldn't he see that we were so perfect for each other? So meant to be together for the rest of eternity? I'm not ugly or anything. I'd like to think I'm rather good looking for an average girl. Why isn't he looking at me? What's wrong with me? I scrubbed harder and harder at the desk as tears of frustration welled up in my eyes. I groaned, aggravated, as I threw down my rag, and sat behind my counter.

This was ridiculous. He was just a boy. This was just a crush. It would pass like it did for everyone else. And then it would be on to the next tall, handsome, smart, funny…

No. No it wouldn't. It wouldn't go on to the next guy because this "crush" had been here since I'd first met Jared in seventh grade. I winced at the memory; it wasn't pleasant. The point of the matter was that I was never going to get over Jared, as hard as I might try. But I didn't want to sit here any longer without him knowing how strongly I felt about him. Without him not feeling the same way.

"Excuse me?"

I stood up and wiped my eyes quickly, springing to my feet to meet the intruder who had interrupted my pitying wallow session. The face that greeted me was well-tanned with warm chocolate brown eyes. His sharp structured face was topped with cropped dark hair. I recognized in an instant whose face this was. It was a friend of my Jared (Did I just say MY Jared?), Quil something or other.

"Uh…Sorry. Just ah…having a moment there…" I peered uncertainly at him, "Heh…sorry, can I um…help you with something?" I was wringing my hands in my apron so that dark, sweaty handprints formed on it.

"Well, erm…" He leaned forward to look at my name tag as I tried to turn away so he couldn't see my embarrassing sweat stains, "Kim. I was wondering if you knew anything about baby food."

I gaped at him incredulously, then before I could stop myself I blabbered, "What, got your girlfriend all knocked up?" I slapped my mouth shut as he turned a shade of pink. Wow Kim, real smooth. Sever your chances with Jared some more, why don't you?

"No." He stated, still flushed. "Are you going to help me or not? Because I can just as easily go to some other register…"

"NO!" I yelled. He backed up, startled. "I mean, no. I'll help you." Great Kim, now you look even more stupid. He might even think you have a crush on him now.

He broke into a wide grin, "Great well, I can't tell which one is better. Something sweet like Applesauce or Plum or something like Turkey Dinner or String Beans. And do little girls have a preference? I wasn't sure because I know that guys aren't partial, but I wasn't willing to take a chance when it comes to Claire…"

"Claire?" I muttered under my breath.

"Yes. Claire." He stated rather defensively, getting red again.

"Um, well I suppose I would get a bit of each actually, I think she'd probably like Applesauce over Plum, no child likes the plum. And I don't recommend the Split Pea. A friend of mine tried some on a dare once, and it wasn't pretty." I grimaced remembering my Kristy's bout of projectile vomiting, and Mr. Peterson's fuchsia face. He looked like he was having an aneurysm that time.

"Alright thanks." He started to walk away, but then turned back, "Hey Kim?" My heart rose for a moment, in hope that whatever was going to come out of that defensive brute's mouth pertained somehow to Jared. "Do you prefer Disney Princesses or Blues Clues?"

My jaw dropped. Did he just say what I thought he did? How could someone raise your hopes like that and then spring something that random on you? Really, that was plain cruel. "Um…Blues Clues?" I replied hesitantly.

"Good. I thought so, too. I figured that if I was going to get Claire to fall in love with a dog, we might as well start with the patterns on her Huggies." With that, he turned away, bee-lining towards aisle 14.

I shook my head in disbelief. Jared had some odd friends.

A/N: I know. It's starting a bit slow, but I want to build up to it. This will hopefully be a ten-chapter, possibly longer, story.


	2. Of New Years and Resolutions

My favorite day of the year was has always been the first day of school. Call me a sap, but I really did love that ugly block of cement we called our high school. For me, it was never about the classes. It had everything to do with people. As the head photographer of the yearbook, watching people was what I did. So I suppose it should come as no surprise that I have a rep at school for being the spaced out girl in the back of the class, paying no attention to the teacher but those little things the students do behind the teachers back to keep themselves entertained. A jock flicking paper footballs at a girl that he thought was cute. A girl drawing intricate designs all over her arm in ink. The way Jared's eyebrow wrinkled, just slightly when he found whatever the teacher was lecturing about confusing…

I shook my head. It was way too early to be thinking about Jared already.

Today was once again the first day of school, however this time, I wasn't looking forward to it. After last week's odd run-in with Quil, I was almost petrified of what was going to happen. From what I could recall, he had ended up as embarrassed as I was from the event, at least I hoped so. Then again, Quil Aetera was notoriously loud, almost as much as Embry Call and this was one experience I wanted to keep to myself. I winced, remembering the sweat stains on my apron, and the smeared, yet clearly visible 'K+J' hearts. As if everyone didn't already know I liked Jared. It was practically public information because I was such a spacer, I didn't notice I'd proclaimed myself Mrs. Jared Thail all over my notebooks. Not to mention there always seemed to be a disproportionate number of photos of him in the stack of pictures we sifted through for the yearbook. The last thing I needed was to also be dubbed "crazy shop girl."

Did it matter though? Jared might not even make it back to the school this year. At the middle of last year for some unknown reason, Jared had disappeared from school. Word around school was that he had the flu and it was two weeks till I saw him again. When he came back from his "flu," I saw him only briefly, but it was enough for anyone to see that he had changed considerably. He had bulked up and shorn his signature shaggy hair. I swear probably all the girls, myself included, buckled at the knees at the sight of new Jared. He had entered the school and made a beeline to the principal's office just before the first bell rang for classes. And that was the last that anyone at the school had seen of Jared Thail.

The rumor was that Jared joined Paul in Sam Uley's gang. The evidence was all there. Overnight transformation into extreme levels of hunkdom? Steroids, obviously. How his mother allowed this baffled me completely. But it seemed that this virus that infected boys, made them deathly ill and then drop-dead gorgeous eye candy continued. Over the rest of the semester, Embry Call, Jacob Black, then Quil Aetera all dropped out. Not laughing so much at my assumption that Quil knocked someone up anymore, are you? It all made sense really. The school newspaper had a field day when Quil finally fell ill as well. Was it coincidence that all these boys that hung together were all slowly falling prey to this "sickness" then achieving male model bodies? It just couldn't be.

Anyway, word had gotten around that at least Jacob, Embry and Quil were headed back to school this year. Something about Embry Call's mother having a fit when she realize that he had stopped attending school, and Billy Black sending the other two boys to accompany him back into the realm of high school education…whatever. It didn't matter to me. All that mattered to me was…

I splashed water into my face. Jared? Again? This was seriously getting unhealthy.

What was the time anyway? 7:00 am. Okay. I wiped my damp hands on my dark jeans, straightened my beret and fingered by braid nervously. Would he be there with his friends? Did I look okay? I looked at my reflection again, biting my lip slightly. Well whatever. There was no use worrying about it now. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I ran down the stairs and grabbed my lunch and apple off the counter. I was almost out the door when…

"Just a minute there young lady!"

I winced and turned slowly. "Good morning Mom." I cracked the brightest, most fake smile possible, silently pleading that what I knew was coming next, would not happen.

My mother smiled at me, the corners of her eyes wrinkling just slightly, "You're not going anywhere till I can get a picture of you Kimmy! Your first day of the last year of high school! OH! Let me get my camera!" She turned quickly disappearing into the kitchen.

"Mom! Please! I'm going to be late for Cassie to come pick me up, and you know how she gets!" I tugged on the strap of my messenger bag nervously.

"Oh, she'll live. Cmon Kim, darling! You're a photographer! You know how important it is to capture moments in life! Now, where did I put that thing…" I heard rustling in the kitchen as my mother opened and closed drawers and cabinets in her search.

An old man emerged from the kitchen, holding his pipe in one hand and a newspaper in the other. My beloved grandfather. "Run along Kim, I'll hold her off as long as I can." He whispered conspiratorially, winking. I beamed warmly at him.

"Thanks Grampa." I whispered back, pulling on the door handle.

"No problem kiddo, say hello to that boy for me, won't you?" Again, he winked as my face became beet red. "Just kidding Kimmy. Now get a move on! You don't want to be late!"

I ran across the lawn to where Cassie was parked, waiting. "Cmon Kim! Let's go, girl. You know I like to get there early to see what I scoop I can get!" Cassie was the romance/gossip columnist for the school newspaper. When I said that the newspaper had a field day about the boys joining Uley's gang? Yeah. That was Cassie. I got into her beat-up Civic, smiling.

"Drive. Hurry, my mom's about to break out the camera!"

Cassie laughed, "Oh god! Heaven help us all! Mrs. Navia is about to break out the camera! We're never going to make it to school!"

I rolled my eyes playfully, "I know, I know. So drive. Fast."

"Only way I know how, Kim. Only way I know how."

The school was bustling by the time we'd reached campus. It looked as though we weren't the only ones who planned on getting there early. The school yard was chaotic, the crowd of teenagers produced a loud din as various "Hey man, long time no see!" and "Oh my god! How was your summer?" were exchanged at maximum volume, each group of friends trying to outdo the next. The freshmen were obvious, leaning against the fence, clutching their new books to their chests while chuckling nervously to their friends accompanying them into this new environment. It was a safari, and I was loving it. Cassie and I hacked our way through the crowd, taking out usual place by the steps leading up to the school. I threw down my things quickly before snatching up my camera. I was just about to make my escape when Cassie grabbed my arm.

"Get your grapple-hook off me, woman!" I complained, attempting to pry out of her iron grip, "I've got to take pictures of these creatures in their native habitat!"

Cassie rolled her eyes. "For all that flack you give your mom, you certainly do act a lot like her." She pushed me down on the step, as she embraced our other friends. "Besides," she continued, "you want to be here, because they will be coming any time now and you'll want to be here for the moment that they arri—"

And that's all I heard her say. Because at that very moment, Jared stepped into the yard. My heart skipped a beat. My breath caught in my throat. My palms got sweaty again, and I felt all warm and dizzy. Jacob, Quil and Embry followed him as they took their place by their usual tree. Jared and Embry were quick to throw down their things, and lounge in the shade. Jacob leaned casually against the bark, laughing slightly and saying something to Quil, who upon hearing whatever it was that Jacob said, proceeded to look wildly around the yard, in an almost comical manner.

I snickered "I bet that boy is the shit at charades," I muttered under my breath, reaching for the camera to snap a picture of the hilarious look on his face.

"Hold it!" A hand was placed on top of mine, keeping me from grabbing my camera. I looked up to see all of my friends staring at me.

"Kim, we've been calling your name repeatedly for like 2 minutes straight. Cassie tried snapping in front of your eyes and you didn't respond!" Lily, our resident copy editor, cackled leaning against our other friend Jenna for support.

"I would've suggested that you had a stroke or something before we turned around and realized that HE had gotten here." Jenna teased, also laughing. Madelyn, the one who had stopped me from picking up my camera, shot up from her seat on the steps and proceeded to pantomime Jared's entrance into the yard, giving us her best "Blue Steele" and walking with swagger equivalent to Weezy. Cassie, already standing, joined her clearly displaying my reaction, fanning herself and bursting into fake tears before collapsing on the steps with a dreamy sigh.

"OH MY! SEXY SIR!" she sobbed dramatically, "WHY DON'T YOU STEAL ME AWAY IN THE NIGHT AND TAKE ME AWAY FROM THIS HORRID PLACE!" Her hand crept towards my camera. "I think…I think I shall take a picture. For if I can't actually have you, at least I'll have a piece of you with me forever…as well as all the fake memories that we had together that I make up in my head…."

The girls howled with laughter. I blushed, holding my most prized possession to my chest in defiance. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't even know to whom you're referring to," I teased, tossing my braid over my shoulder.

The girls laughed again, looking at me incredulously before saying, in perfect unison, "Jared Thail."

"That was the old Kim," I replied uncrossing my arms and leaning back against the railing of the stairs.

"Oh yeah?" Cassie smirked, "And what is the new Kim like?"

"She's confident and assertive. She doesn't need a man! In fact, she's friends with Jared Thail. Just friends, because that's how comfortable she is with herself!" I resolved

"Oh my god look! Jared just took his shirt off!" Madelyn squealed, pointing.

"WHERE?" I looked around wildly, attempting to get up and hitting my head against the railing. My friend were in stitches. I cursed my obsession."Haha. Very funny, Lyn. I'm serious though guys. I'm totally going to reform myself."

"Sure, sure. Just like we resolved last year that we were all going to do a book club. Did anyone even crack open The Joy Luck Club?" Jenna asked to a chorus of "Nope!"

"I mean it this time!" I replied indignantly, "This caterpillar is going to shuck off her cocoon and fly—"

"KIM! HEY KIM!" We turned to see an over ecstatic Quil hollering and waving. At me.

A/N: Oh my god guys. I'm sorry. I realize that it took me three months to post. I didn't realize when I uploaded the first chapter that I would get so much great feedback. I honestly didn't think anyone would read it, or that they'd read it and hate it. As a result I never really looked ahead plot-wise if people liked my story. Therefore, writer's block! So that, hand-in-hand with exams equals no updates.

Next chapter: Jared's intro!

Please review!


	3. Of Blushing and Awkward Situations

I may have mentioned this before, but when I blush, it's quite unattractive. My mother and some of my friends say it's adorable but I see right through their little act. It breaks out first on my neck, like hives, and spreads to my ears and my cheeks. When my blush is in its full form, I imagine I look something like a five-year old girl that broke into her mother's rouge kit, or someone who's had a little too much to drink.

As I saw Quil Aetera waving at me, hollering my name across the yard, I felt the beginnings of that blush beginning to form, and I knew I was in trouble. I turned back to my friends quickly, already feeling my palms begin to sweat in anticipation of some sort of confrontation. They were all staring at me, gawking.

"Um, Kim?" Cassie began, "why is—"

"HOW THE HELL DOES QUIL AETERA KNOW YOUR NAME?" Lily cut in, gesturing wildly with her hands, as if her thousand decibel exclamation into my face did not convey the hysteria in her voice.

"There may have been an incident at work yesterday," I replied quickly waving the question aside, "The real issue is what do I do? I hardly know the guy! What do I say?"

"You wave back, dumbass," Lyn hissed through her tight smile, gently pushing my shoulder and nodding in their direction.

I slowly turned, and waved weakly. Quil beamed at being recognized, then turned to the other boys and said something before head over in our direction with Jacob. When he arrived, he slung his arm over my shoulder as if we were the closest of friends, as Jacob watched him smirking and rolling his eyes.

"Kim! It's so great to see you! Why, for a second there, I thought you were ignoring me! Me! Can you imagine?" Quil laughed dramatically as if that were the most ridiculous thing he ever heard. The girls giggled at him. I was so embarrassed I ceased to see the humor in the entire situation. I turned to look at Jacob, who seemed to understand my plight and gave me an apologetic look. He reached out and grabbed the collar of Quil's shirt.

"C'mon Quil, let's leave these girls alone and head to class now." He started dragging Quil away, "Sorry about him, ladies."

"But no! Jake! Wait!" Quil struggled against Jacob's tight iron grip, looking at us wistfully, "We should be friends, Kim. Can we be friends? Jake, stop pulling so tight." Quil babbled as Jacob dragged him closer and closer to the entrance to the school, "Yeah, Kim, let's be friends, you were totally right about the Blues Clues thing, by the way. Since we're friends, can I get discounts at the store now? That's would be totally off the hook—" The door to the school shut behind them.

As the door slammed shut, the attention was suddenly focused back onto me, and this time, it wasn't just my friends. I wasn't kidding when I said that Quil was loud, and it was safe to say that the entire school had seen the big commotion that Quil just pulled. Jenna turned to me, "What the hell just happened?"

I kept my eyes downcast, covering my scarlet face with my hands. "I have no idea. Is everyone looking? That damn Quil Aetera."

"Yeah everyone is definitely staring at you. Smile babe, you're on camera!" Lyn laughed as she snatched up my camera and snapped a picture of my humiliation. "Girlfriend, this is yearbook gold!"

"Is….is Jared…um…looking?" I stuttered hesitantly. The girls exploded with laughter.

Gasping, and holding onto Lily for support, Cassie turned to check, "They're laughing. Probably at Quil. So much for 'not needing a man' huh, Kim?"

"Oh shut up." I shot back, slinging my bag over my shoulder and gathering my camera from Lyn, "Do me a favor, let's just head to class to avoid the stares….and let's not mention this again? Ever?"

My friends gathered their things as well, and we head to our respective homerooms, promising each other to meet-up in the journalism room to discuss with the rest of yearbook committee plans for the coming year's issue. As I walked down the hall to my homeroom alone, I felt my confidence slip away with every step I took away from my group of friends. They were so much a part of who I was, and I felt safe around them. Apart from them, I was so much more aware of the stares and whispers that I got from the different people I passed. It was not a pleasant feeling.

I took the seat closest to the door to make a fast get away after our homeroom teacher dispensed our schedules for the day. I kept my head down, adjusting the settings on my camera and flipping through the pictures that were already on the memory card. I avoided looking up for fear of confirming my suspicions that all my classmates were staring at me, as this morning's incident was the first gossip-worthy story of the school year. I was so persistent, that I almost did not look up when I was tapped lightly on the shoulder. I set my camera down and looked up to see the smiling face of Embry Call. I groaned inwardly. Hadn't the evil gods of awkward situations cursed me enough this morning? First, Quil and now, Embry. What next? Was Sam Uley going to pop on by and offer me some of his magic, beefy-man recipe steroids? Suppressing my frustration at this bounty of bad luck, I smiled at him, "Yeah?"

He had been laughing. You could totally tell he had been laughing. At my expense, too. And now he was coming to smear it in my face? Jerk. "Hey, I just wanted to see how you're doing. Jake was a little worried because, well….you know how Quil gets…" He sat down next to me. I put my face in my hands.

"I'm fine." I mumbled through my fingers as I laid my head on the desk. Embry chuckled.

"Sure you are. Don't worry, Jake's already planning on giving him hell for doing that to you. Dumb idiot doesn't understand the concept of personal space..." He trailed off, as he sifted through the pile of schedules passed down the row and fished his out. "Here." He passed them to me, grinning.

"Thanks." I mumbled, picking mine out from the center and looking it over while I passed it to the girl next to me…at least I thought I was passing it, till I let go of them only to have them fall to the floor. I whipped my head around to apologize to the girl, only to see her drooling and gaping at the sexy piece of man sitting next to me. I rolled my eyes, getting up from my seat and gathering up the schedules, and passing it on to the person next to her. Poor girl. She probably had a big fat crush on Embry, but was too scared to do anything. I turned to Embry who was now doodling aimlessly all over his schedule unaware of his female admirer. Much like Jared and…

I groaned. Jared, again. Independent, Kim. You are a strong, assertive woman who doesn't need a man. I glanced at the girl again. Maybe, like me, all she needed was a little push. I turned to Embry, "Hey, are you seeing anyone?"

Embry raised his eyebrows, "Damn, you work quick. Shouldn't we at least get to talking for at least ten minutes before you ask me out?"

Oh god. Yeah, I could've gone through with this a lot smoother. "No, uh, that's not what I meant, there's this friend of mine—"

"OH! A friend of yours, huh?" Embry winked at me, "It's okay, you don't need to be embarrassed, a lot of girls want me."

"No no, that's not what I meant, ugh, why does everything I say sound so—"

Then the bell rang. I panicked, I had five minutes to clear up this mess I had created before my first class.

"I meant—gah—well you see-I don't, I mean, I didn't mean to ask you out, I was asking for that girl over there-" I stumbled over my words, starting to sweat, and again, that godforsaken blush was creeping up my neck. I turned to point at the girl, but, as my luck would have it, she was gone.

Embry slung his bag over his shoulder, "Riiiight. It's fine," he laughed " Quil's embarrassed you enough today, I guess. Besides, you have to buy a guy dinner before you get all up on this," he teased before he disappeared out the door.

I groaned. I had embarrassed myself twice today and it wasn't even noon yet. It's official, first day of school is no longer my favorite day of the year. I gathered my things, and walked to the first class of the day, English Literature. I walked in and sat in the back of the classroom, unwilling to participate in anything today, lest I risk embarrassing myself a third time that day. I slumped forward on the desk and buried my face in my arms, wanting to disappear.

The bell rang again, signaling the start of class. I lifted my head hesitantly. As our teacher introduced himself and announced that we would be writing an in-class essay so that he could assess our level to a chorus of moans.

"I'd like you to all write in blue or black ink, the prompts are coming through your rows now." He finished, turning to the board, to write the time remaining in class.

"Hey," a voice whispered from beside me as I reached into my bag to pull out paper and a pen. "Do you have a pen I could borrow?"

I looked up, and found myself face-to-face with the last person I wanted to see today, Jared.

After all the times that I had stared at him in class when my mind wandered and I couldn't focus, you would think that I would've been somewhat accustomed to his devastatingly handsome looks. But when I looked up and made eye contact with him, I was lost, completely lost in his eyes. I couldn't look away. I didn't want to look away. And he didn't either. Was I hallucinating? It was like those stupid romantic comedies you can't stop watching. Where the lovers' eyes meet and then time stands still. Everything, just everything felt right. It didn't matter what happened this morning with Quil or Embry or the fact that I was starting off the year with an in-class essay…the essay! I painfully redirected my gaze back to my bag, as I pulled out another pen.

"Yeah, um, here you can use this one." I held it out to him. He simply sat there staring at me.

"You may begin writing, now. "

I looked at him frantically, knowing that during in-class essays I always needed the whole class period. He kept staring at me. Now, it was a little unnerving, plus the added pressure of this essay. I could all ready feel myself internally hyperventilating. Was something wrong with me? Did I have something on my face? Oh my god, what if something was wrong with him? Or maybe this was some sort of practical joke! What if-Ugh, I had to stop speculating. I couldn't fail my essay. "Um…" I glanced around seeing if the teacher was near-by. "Are you okay?" I whispered hesitantly.

No response. Just staring. I sighed. Typical. What started off as a dream come true was quickly turning into a nightmare. I placed the pen on his desk the turned to my paper and began to write. Ten minutes went by. I looked up. He was still staring. Fifteen minutes. Still staring. Thirty minutes. Staring. I finished my essay at the 45 minute mark and put it down to stretch my fingers. I dared not to turn my head because I knew he would still be looking at me. By now, the blush was in its full form, and I just wanted for class to be over. I could always turn in my essay now, and leave class early. I weighed my options. Stay in class, and feel like a fool with Jared staring at you or leave class now and feel like a fool in the hallway as you bury your tomato face in a locker. Yup, the second option sounded much more appealing. Turning to get one last look at Jared and get my pen, I noticed that he hadn't written a single word on his paper. Had he been staring the whole time?

I looked him in the eye hesitantly. "Hey," I whispered softly, "You should write something before he calls time. You can keep the pen. I guess I'll see you around."

Then I left. Boy, was I going to have a lot to share when the girls reconvene.

A/N: So, two weeks this time. Not too shabby. I didn't like how the chapter ended, but I'm honestly just trying to hurry it along to the good stuff. This chapter is dedicated to JellyBeane and CassyKinz for being awesome and reviewing. This one's for you! As always, please review. I'm thinking about doing the next chapter in Jared's POV. I'll probably end up doing regardless of what you guys think, but I'd love some input on that.

Next chapter might take me a while. Finals coming up and all that jazz. No more than three weeks I promise.


	4. Of Annoying Car Rides and Imprinting

JPOV:

Why am I here? Why are we doing this? It's so damn early. I slumped against the door of Jake's Rabbit and my face pressed against the window. My eyes fluttered shut. The rumbling of the car's engine was kind of soothing. The vibration from the bumps in the road was…very nice….so…sleepy….

"Aren't you guys excited for the first day of school?"

My eyes popped back open. That damn Quil. Stupid pup couldn't stop jumping up and down in his seat. I punched him in the shoulder. "Cut it out, man. No one's excited but you."

Embry and Jake grunted in agreement from the front. Embry turned in his seat, "Dude, Quil it's lucky that you imprinted on a two year-old because you fucking act like one." Quil kicked Embry's seat.

"I do not," he whined, "Jake! Tell him!"

"You just totally proved his point, idiot." Jake muttered, rolling his eyes, "And how many times do I have to tell you guys, feet off the interior!"

Well, that shut Quil up. For five minutes. He was bouncing and babbling about something again, but I don't think any of us listened to him. Embry would yell at him periodically, for getting over excited and kicking his seat. Embry deserves it though, jackass. It's his fault we're back on the road to that cement block of hell they call high school. If he had just been more careful when he got back from patrols so his old lady didn't wake up and catch him, she would never know that we'd stopped attending school. And now, because the Elders say so, we all have to go back to school. I mean, yeah, I felt bad for the whole situation Embry's in, what with his father abandoning them and his mom trying to scrape together what she can, but really? Do we ALL have to go? Isn't protecting the rez from bloodsuckers a little more of a priority?

"For the last time dude stop kicking my chair I will beat the living shit out of you. Dammit Quil, why the hell are you so excited to go back to school anyway?"

"Well….I get to see my friends…"

Jake snorted from behind the wheel, "Quil, you don't have any friends outside the pack. None of us do."

Quil crossed his arms defiantly, "Nuh-uh. Just because you guys don't have any other friends doesn't mean that I don't have any. People love hanging out with me."

I scoffed at the idea of Quil having any friends apart from the pack that weren't the age of children young enough to play in ball pits. Oh god. Quil and ball pits. Last time, when he went in after Claire…well let's just say we weren't allowed back in that particular McDonalds anymore. "Friends, Quil? Really? Like who?"

For once, Quil seemed at a loss for words as he struggled to remember a name, any name, of someone who went to our school. The three of us exchanged knowing glances, smiling triumphantly.

"AHA!"

Dammit.

"I do know this one girl! Her name is Kim. She works at the ShopRite. We're great friends. She'll be happy to see I'm back at school." Quil leaned back in his seat, smugly.

Embry looked back at him disbelievingly, "Quil, you have an imprint. What the hell are you doing messing around with high school girls?"

Quil shot him a look of disgust, "Ew. I said me and Kim are FRIENDS. Not…not dating."

"Well then….is she cute?"

Jake slapped Embry upside the head.

"Ow, Jake! What the hell, man?" Embry rubbed the back of his head, glaring at Jake as he pulled in to the school.

"The last thing we should be doing is dating girls. Keep your damn hormones in check. We have a duty to the tribe. Sam will be pissed if he finds out you're spending time with some girl rather than being on patrol."

We all grabbed our bags and got out of the car. Embry slammed his door, "Like you're one to talk, all you ever think about is that Swan girl."

Quil and I moved faster than you could blink, restraining each of Jake's arms as he lunged at Embry.

"Don't you ever—" Jake started.

"Embry, stop being a jackass. We don't need this right now, especially in front of the school. Look none of us want to be here right now, so we're all a little uptight. Just forget it, okay?" I growled, securing my grip on Jake.

Embry was the first to recover. Taking deep breaths, he looked Jake in the eye. "Sorry man, Jared's right, I was totally out of line. We cool?"

Jake wrung his arms free from Quil and my grasp and nodded curtly at Embry. "Yeah, just give me some space to cool off."

Quil and I exchanged looks and he bounded ahead of me to keep Jake company as Embry and I brought up the rear.

As soon as we approached the school gate, the familiar feeling of people blatantly staring at us settled in again. We could hear them whispering to one another.

"They're back."

"Oh my god, they're dreamier than I remembered"

"Bet you it took some serious roids to get like that. What tools."

I smirked. Jake rolled his eyes, and whispered lowly, "The idiots don't even realize we can hear them. Welcome back to high school." The rest of us snickered. We approached the tree that we used to hang by just outside the school before the bell rang for homeroom. Embry and I flopped down at the base, stretching out, determined to relax a little bit before the dreadfully boring day of classes began. Quil, naturally, was too excited to sit down. He threw down his bag and immediately began surveying the crowd of students in the yard, like an alert puppy looking for the source of a sound.

"Looking for your 'friend'?" Embry teased. Jake and I laughed.

Quil spun around and put his hands on his hips, frustrated, in a manner eerily similar to Claire, "Yeah. I am. I didn't make her up. She's real. And she's going to be my best friend because you guys…you guys just suck." He stuck out his tongue, before turning back around and scanning the crowd again.

Then, he found her.

"KIM!" He hollered, waving like a buffoon, "HEY KIM!"

We followed his line of vision to a group of girls hanging by the steps in front of the school. From my viewpoint on the ground, I couldn't really make out any of their faces, but one girl had definitely turned around avoiding Quil.

Embry and I snickered as Jake looked at him sympathetically, "Oooh. Sorry dude, you just got shut down."

I laid back against the tree and shut my eyes, trying to maybe nap a bit before class, still chuckling at Quil's idiocy.

"No, look! Look, she just waved at me! HA! I'm going over there to say hi." I didn't open my eyes.

"Sure, Quil," I called back disbelievingly. "Whatever, man."

"I better follow him," Jake muttered, before bee-lining after Quil. I opened one eye and looked at Embry who was up and rapt with the current situation.

"Did she really wave back?"

Embry nodded, chuckling, "Yeah, and he really just went over there and is totally embarrassing her."

I sat up and directed my gaze to the group of girls by the steps. Quil had his back to us and his arm around the girl we presumed to be Kim. He was talking animatedly, not surprising at all, till Jake grabbed his collar and began dragging him to the school.

"But no! Jake! Wait! We should be friends, Kim. Can we be friends? Jake, stop pulling so tight. Yeah, Kim, let's be friends, you were totally right about the Blues Clues thing, by the way. Since we're friends, can I get discounts at the store now? That's would be totally off the hook—"

The doors slammed behind them. Embry and I roared with laughter. When Quil was annoying you, it was just tiring, when he was annoying someone else, it was hilarious.

"Dude, I don't know about you, but I'd say this was the best first day of school ever." Embry wheezed, clutching his stomach from all the laughing.

"Yeah, doesn't get better than Quil making an ass out of himself." I agreed, gasping for breath. "Let's go after them, Jake probably needs help."

We slung our bags over our shoulders and walked through the doors, easily spotting Jake, restraining a still squirming Quil.

"Jake, this isn't fair. You're just jealous because I have a new best friend. Let me go." Quil whined, fighting against Jake's restraints.

"Quil, you were embarrassing her, leave her alone."

"If I leave her alone, will you let go?"

"Do you promise to leave her alone and act as normal as possible?"

I scoffed, "Quil acting normal, yeah that'll be the day." Quil shot me a glare.

"Yeah, I'll be good, Jake." Jake nodded and let go of him. Quil, smiled, relieved to be free, then gave Jake a knowing wink, before dashing down the hallway. Jake looked at us exasperatedly.

"Sorry man, you're the one in homeroom with him. I'm clear on the other side of the hall so…see ya!" I smirked as I walked down the hall to my classroom.

As I walked through the door, again I felt all of the people inside stare at me. I scowled at them, settling on a seat in the back corner, and putting my head down to avoid eye contact with any of them. What was I, a freaking circus sideshow?

After everyone had filed into the classroom, Mrs. Everett began to distribute schedules, lucky for me, my schedule was on top. As soon as I received my timetable I left. Walking down the hall, I glanced at my class line-up. First up was…Literature. Great. Again, why the hell was I here? Is Shakespeare going to help me when I have to tear a bloodsucker to shreds? I dragged my feet to Mr. Wilson's classroom, and still somehow managed to get a seat in the back next to some idiot carving his name into the desk, and a girl with her head down on the desk. Perfect. It didn't seem like either of them would be staring at me or wanting to start a conversation. I sat down just as the bell rang for the start of class.

"Alright class, so we have a very fun year ahead of us, but before we get started on the good stuff, I need to assess your writing level." The class collectively groaned. "I know I know, but I need to make sure that you all did the summer reading and there's really no other way to do it. So, I'd like you to all write in blue or black ink, the prompts are coming through your rows now." Mr. Wilson turned away to write the time remaining on the board. I dug through my bag, pulling out several sheets of paper, before I realized that I'd forgotten to pack a pen. Way to go, Thail. I looked to my left. Crazy carving dude was already hard at work…sketching a design for a tattoo on his hand. Yeah. No thanks. I tapped the shoulder of girl on my right as she was reaching down to withdraw her materials.

"Hey can I borrow a pen?"

As she looked up, the world seemed to fade away. Nothing else mattered but her. The fact that she was here. That she was near me. That she was safe. She had the most beautiful, warm chocolate brown eyes, her lips were soft and pink, and god she was too good to be true. She was everything to me now. I didn't care that we were in a classroom full of students and that I had to write an essay. Writing an essay would require me to look away from her and I would never do that willingly ever again. She held something out to me and spoke. The sound of her voice was like more entrancing than any music I had ever heard. What I'd do to hear her speak again. I couldn't move, I couldn't think. I couldn't get enough of her. She placed the pen on my desk and turned away from me and started to write. Still I could not look away. It could have been minutes or hours, the time that I spent admiring her, all I remember was her glorious soft lips whispering something to me before she turned around and started walking away.

Then everything started dimming. The world was dark and cold and all I could feel was dread with every step she took away from me. I tried to speak, to tell her to wait, to come back to me, but the words wouldn't come. She was gone. An angel had walked into and out of my life in an hour.

And I didn't even try to stop her. Internally, I was tearing myself into shreds.

I didn't even know her name.

A/N: Oh my god guys, I'm so sorry. Finals were a little harder than I expected, but it's summer now, and just to prove how sorry I am, I will post twice this week. This counts as one, and I'll have another one up before Friday. Jared was actually pretty fun to write till I got to the imprinting, I had a lot of trouble kind of describing what I believe the imprinted mindset is like so, I'd love to hear what you guys thought of that bit especially. I hope you guys like Quil, because he's just a blast to write. He's kind of what I'd want my brother to be like if I ever had a brother.

I love all your reviews, and I'm keeping all your advice in mind. It makes me so happy to know that some of you really like this story because I never expected anyone to read it, let alone like it. MY REVIEWERS ROCK. Keep reviewing, and I'll keep on posting! Happy Summer!


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